


if I got a condo on a cloud then I guess you can stay at my place

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Fluff, M/M, fake boyfriends, there's like one angsty part in there if any
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-28
Updated: 2013-12-28
Packaged: 2018-01-06 11:10:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1106117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I think I can make it. Wait so are we gonna have to hold hands and stuff?” Niall asks Harry and Harry blushes and looks down at his feet awkwardly. </p>
<p>“I- you don’t have too. You can just hover.”<br/>--</p>
<p>Harry can't just show up to his sister's wedding where his ex boyfriend is going to be without somebody with him, I mean he can't just loiter around the chocolate fountain. So that's why he enlists Niall's help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	if I got a condo on a cloud then I guess you can stay at my place

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for bothering to read this, it means a bunch.

Niall’s back is to him. Niall is wearing a really nice solid blue polo shirt accentuates the broadness of his shoulders. They also make his jawline and cheekbones look like something Harry could cut his fingers on but Harry can’t see it (Niall’s face) currently because Niall’s back is to him and he’s typing up this report because he’s the manager of their floor and he’s always so busy. Harry is tapping his fingers on the wall of Niall’s cubicle while his other hand practically suffocates a cup of coffee. He’s nervous and he hates being nervous because everything is all out of orbit when he’s nervous.

Harry has a bit of a crush on his kind of but not really boss if this little fact wasn’t noticeable. And that’s not really the problem you see because Harry is twenty three years old for crying out loud and he knows how to handle crushes (pine silently from afar until Zayn throws mints at his face and watch The Notebook at home and cry about all failed relationships and all going to be failed relationships) so the little crush isn’t his problem. It’s just that Harry kind of needs a big favor and maybe he could’ve asked someone else like Zayn for example but it simply wouldn’t work and he’d known Niall for six whole agonizing months and Harry was sure Niall would do this for him. Or find him painstakingly crazy.

Either or.

So Harry continues to stare daggers at Niall’s back trying to think of ways to phrase the question how to just open his mouth and ask something so utterly preposterous. Okay maybe he’s being a tad bit over the top he has a flair for dramatics (he knows Louis for crying out loud) but this favor is pretty big and a lot stupid his subconscious tells him. But he never listens to his subconscious… he wonders if that’s why he’s failing at life.

Niall swivels around in his chair suddenly and of course Harry startles himself and spills the coffee down his dress shirt. The coffee is hot and he yelps and brings a hand up to his chest breathing hard while the stinging sensation continues to vibrate through his skin and he can feel the bruise forming and Niall’s laughing because he’s Niall and he’s the kind of person to laugh at someone’s misfortune and it isn’t mean or anything it’s just like a reflex for him Harry’s realized over the past six months. Like how you say bless you to someone when they sneeze Niall laughs when people hurt themselves.

Harry realizes how terrible that sounds but he can’t quite assess it because Niall may be laughing but he has a paper towel on Harry’s chest dabbing it and trying to stifle giggles.

“Goodness, mate you alright?” Niall asks looking up at him with large blue eyes that remind Harry of his little cousin.

“Fine.” Harry croaks and Niall backs up and examines the damage done to Harry’s dress shirt and he shakes his head.

“I have an extra shirt you could wear.” Before Harry can protest that idea and tell Niall no the blonde is already turned away rifling through his messy cubicle for an extra shirt. He’s muttering something under his breath about how clumsy Harry is but it’s teasing and he keeps shooting Harry looks and smiling and Harry’s emotions are running rapid inside of him so he kind of just watches Niall do his thing. He finally resurfaces with an ‘aha’ and a red polo in his hands it seems as if polos are all he owns.

“Here ya go.” Niall’s grinning as he hands it to him and Harry takes it tentatively.

“Thanks.” He says and Niall shrugs and ruffles the back of his hair and shrugs.

“It’s nothing, man.”

“Okay.” Harry says and then an awkward silence ensues. Niall stares at him with a raised eyebrow and Harry swallows. The question is still at the front of his head but the words just aren’t coming out and he knows he’s being a wuss but he can’t just… but maybe he can, maybe he just doesn’t know.

“Want to fake date me?” There it’s out. Niall blinks and ruffles his eyebrows.

“What?” He asks and Harry doesn’t say anything so another awkward silence. Niall chuckles nervously. “Why would I fake date you?”

“It’s pertinent.” Harry says and Niall raises an eyebrow and looks amused with Harry’s vocabulary.

“Is it?”

“Yes.”

“Okay then tell me about it.” Niall orders stepping back and watching Harry. He’s amused and Harry’s kind of a little bit scared. So he just word vomits all over the place,

“My sister just called me the other day telling me that her and her fiancé finally found a date for their wedding and of course I’m happy for her right she’s my sister and like she’s totally and completely gone for him and they’re the cutest couple I’ve seen since Kimye,” Harry will sit in his room later that day and face palm himself because out of all the relationships he said Kimye, “But like see I kind of have this ex who’s kind of sort of one of Gemma’s best friends and so she can’t just not invite him. And like how awful would it be if all I did was stand by the chocolate fountain all night long watching him from afar that’s like totally pathetic right? So maybe… maybe you could help me out.” Harry smiles weakly at Niall’s blank expression. “Told ya it was pertinent.” Harry says when Niall doesn’t say anything.

“She’s going to have a chocolate fountain?” Harry blinks because that’s all Niall took from his whole spiel. But Harry nods because he knows how much Gemma loves chocolate fountains; she never grew out of her eleventh birthday she gets them for every event that she plans. Harry can’t say he minds though it’s a chocolate fountain.

“Where’s this wedding going to be?”

“Manchester. Uhm it’s happening in a month, March 5th.” Harry says his heart pounding in his chest because is Niall agreeing to Harry’s absurd idea. Harry watches as Niall goes cross eyed as if he’s deep in thought and Harry giggles because what the hell? Niall is so cute doing these things see if Harry does those things he’ll be labeled crazy; he does not have Niall privilege.

“I think I can make it. Wait so are we gonna have to hold hands and stuff?” Niall asks Harry and Harry blushes and looks down at his feet awkwardly.

“I- you don’t have too. You can just hover.” Harry coughs and Niall laughs.

“Dude, we’re holding hands and shit I mean who hovers?” Harry laughs and Niall looks down at his watch. “Aren’t you supposed to be working? And you’re gonna have to change your shirt.” Niall says motioning to the large ugly coffee stain which has gradually gotten darker. Zayn would laugh at him if he saw him right now but maybe at the same time he would be oddly proud that Harry actually asked Niall to be his fake boyfriend for a day.

“Oh yeah.” Harry says beginning to back away. Niall smiles and Harry smiles back, he can’t help it that Niall’s like totally infectious and that he has the whole zoo settling in his stomach comfortably. Harry can’t think straight around Niall, his words sound like gibberish to him and he shakes too much reminding him of when he was younger and how his anxiety would act up so much that he couldn’t stand up for a bit because his legs were shaking so hard his knobby knees kept hitting each other making it impossible to walk. He was not a cute normal child; he was all types of awkward.

“See ya around, boyfriend.” Niall says plopping down on his chair and then turning around so he’s facing the computer. Harry gapes and he trips over Niall’s trash can and Niall stifles a laugh but doesn’t bother turning around as Harry shakily picks the small trash bin up. He flees and locks himself in the bathroom and he reminds himself to breathe. He pulls off his dress shirt and he’s doing it so shakily that some of the buttons end up popping, he huffs.

\--

“You actually asked him to be your ‘fake’ boyfriend?” Zayn asks him, the Chinese noodles hanging from the chopsticks awkwardly. Louis whistles lowly and Zayn shakes his head while Harry nods and picks at the chicken. “I don’t believe it.” Zayn says and Louis laughs.

“Hey, Harry has balls! I mean remember when he told Cynthia Riley off in the fifth grade?”

“He ended up stuttering so bad Cynthia actually had to get the teacher because she was scared he was having a seizure.” Zayn points out and Harry blushes madly and waves his chopsticks in front of his best friend’s faces.

“Hello, I am right here! And I’ll have you know I didn’t even trip when I asked Niall.” Harry doesn’t like lying but he also doesn’t want to sound like an ultimate loser. He’s twenty three for crying out loud he shouldn’t be scared of asking another twenty three year old beautiful gentleman to be his fake boyfriend for a day seriously this stuff happens every day. Harry also doesn’t mention the fact that he’s wearing Niall’s red polo still because it smells like Niall, something a bit like hand sanitizer and cologne and downy. It’s nice and he thinks it’s gone overlooked until Louis says,

“You don’t own polos Harry.”

“Yes I do.” Harry shoots back almost immediately. Louis puts his palms up in front of him and says,

“Don’t shoot!” Harry flushes and takes a bite of his chicken.

“Sorry.” He mutters feeling childish for acting so out of sorts. He’s pretty sure he still has his sixteen year old brain trapped inside of him because some days he just doesn’t feel like he’s twenty three, doesn’t feel like he should be paying bills when sometimes he forgets to go grocery shopping and spends most of his money on irrelevant things (read: boots and bandanas) and sometimes he has to call his mum to ask her if it’s okay to use margarine to cook something that says butter.

“But yes why are you wearing polo? Did you and Niall have sex?” Zayn asks his eyebrow rise so high it’s almost touching his hairline. Harry scoffs (even though he wishes that they did, he wishes he could do a lot of things with Niall),

“No. He just offered me this shirt.”

“Why?” Louis asks. Harry coughs into his hand not wanting to admit that he spilled hot coffee on himself because his friends would just not let him live it down.

“It’s a new protocol at work.”

“No it’s not.” Zayn argues but Harry fixes him a look.

“Yeah, Zayn it actually is. We have different managers so you wouldn’t know so like… check yourself before you wreck yourself.” Louis guffaws and Zayn shakes his head like he can’t believe that Harry really said that.

\--

“Hey, boyfriend.” Harry drops every single sheet of paper that he was carrying in his hands and he squeals at the same time. Niall is immediately on his knees picking them up and laughing because that’s all he seems to know how to do, wreck Harry’s whole life and sanity and laugh. It’s disgusting really how easily affected Harry is by him. Harry shakily gets down on his knees also and begins picking the papers up and Niall’s shaking his head.

“You’re incredibly easy to startle.” (Harry doesn’t tell Niall that just hearing his voice makes Harry want to choke down his anxiety pills so he can stop shaking and thinking all the damn time. His doctor would not approve of this).

“Sorry.” Is all Harry says though.

“Nah don’t apologize, I get it.”

“Get what?”

“You startle around hot people, I do too.” Harry blushes wildly while Niall laughs at the expression on his face. “I’m kidding.”

“Oh yeah of course.” Harry says standing up and holding the papers close to his chest. Niall hands him the extra ones and he takes them and he just stares at Harry for a bit and Harry blinks. Some workers walk around them looking a little ticked that they’re standing right in the middle of the hallway but Niall is manager so nobody says a thing.

“So I was thinking we should get lunch.” Harry blinks at Niall’s words.

“I always get lunch.” He says perplexed. Niall chuckles and he actually blushes like honest to god blushes and he looks way better than Harry does blushing he looks like a Disney prince, Harry looks like he is having several strokes.

“No like lunch with me.”

“I don’t understand.” Harry says because his mind doesn’t really understand Niall’s words. Harry thought that he wouldn’t really have much interaction with Niall after the whole ‘fake boyfriend thing’ that they would just smile at each other in the hallways and when the day came for the wedding they would take the train to Manchester together and sleep in different hotel rooms and then pretend that they were dating for a couple of hours while Harry hoped Liam ate his fucking heart out with a spoon and like salt the works and then Harry and Niall would go back to London and casually ignore each other. 

“A date, green eyes. Want to go on a date with me?” Harry flushes Niall just called him green eyes and is smiling at him softly with like crinkles behind his eyes and his freckles a bit more pronounced and Harry ignores the way his heart starts to run away from him, he’s so fucking gone for this fucking boy and he just wants to fucking crawl under his SpongeBob bed sheets and die a long hapless death.

“Oh. Why?” Harry asks because he’s an idiot. Niall clears his throat,

“Cause I think I should get to know my boyfriend, right?”

“Oh yeah, totally. Okay yeah we should do lunch… we should do Charley’s cause you like Charley’s.” Harry says and then shuts his mouth because how much creepier can he get? Niall laughs.

“How do you know I like Charley’s?” _I listen to you order some everyday and I watch the delivery man come up and I know you always tip well because he always leaves with a smile._ Harry just shrugs and taps the printer next to him looking anywhere but Niall’s face. “But no where do you like to eat?” Niall asks.

“I’m not very picky.”

“You good with Italian?”

“Okay.” Harry says and Niall raises an eyebrow at him. “Oh I mean yes Italian sounds great. Amazing.” Anything with Niall sounds great.

\--

He’s actually using cutlery in front of Niall Horan and Niall Horan is laughing at his story that Harry never found that funny. They’re at Gianni’s, a small little hole in the wall Italian place that makes the best pasta according to Niall but he didn’t use those words he actually said (“It’s like god came right in my mouth!” And Harry had blinked and said,

“You want god to come in your mouth?”

“Well… no but I’m sure if he did it would be heavenly”) so Harry is twirling pasta around in his fork and taking small bites and savoring it. It actually is really good pasta.

“So Louis tricked Zayn into thinking he was pregnant? How?” Niall asks wiping his eyes and Harry giggles telling the story of how Louis and Zayn had fucked and Zayn had walked out and Louis being the spiteful fucker he was actually made Zayn think he was pregnant.

“He kind of told Zayn that he was like a hermaphrodite and it was really funny. He uhm he wore a fake belly for six months to make it seem real and Zayn bought baby stuff and everything and he told his mum. And then at the baby shower he uh pulled his belly out… you should’ve seen Zayn’s fucking face god.” Niall is out of it, his face is a blotchy red and he’s actually crying and Harry smiles feeling pride swell up in his chest because he’s making Niall laugh.

“Oh my god this happened to Zayn Malik? On the tenth floor?” Harry nods.

“The very one. Zayn didn’t talk to Louis for like three months and when they finally did talk they both were all like ‘I hate you and I don’t wanna date you but I still wanna be friends’ I’m just always there for these things.” Harry says taking another bite of his pasta.

“What do you mean?” Niall asks and Harry shrugs,

“My friends are very uhm making things happen kind of people and I’m not really like that. I think I sometimes come off as boring or like… odd, I don’t know.” Harry looks down at his pasta feeling horribly self-conscious for his twenty three year old skin. Aren’t you supposed to grow into your self-consciousness as you age? Harry doesn’t feel like he has though he just feels like people expect him too but all of it is still there inside of him for when he looks in the mirror or when he’s hanging around Louis and Zayn who are just… they’re lively and strong and confident. And Harry trips over his feet a lot.

“You are odd, Harry. But like it’s a good odd and who likes normality all the time? And I like that you trip over a lot of things… it makes for an interesting day.” Niall kicks at his foot softly from under the table and Harry blushes and then coughs, his chest feels really light.

“Thanks Niall.” _I like you’re everything._ Harry doesn’t say it though.

\--

“A plus one?” Gemma asks looking at Harry from behind the computer screen. She looks pretty delighted and hopeful that Harry actually has someone to bring while her fiancé Richard kind of just looks bored. Harry kind of feels bad that they’re not really together because he hates lying to Gemma. He hasn’t been really together with anyone since Liam who was a full year ago. Harry remembers how Liam broke up with him… Harry remembers not leaving his place for a whole three weeks. He hates breakups but he loves relationships.

“Ah yeah. I kind of invited someone.” Harry says picking at his cuticles.

“Oh goodness, Haz that’s wonderful!” She shouts and she smiles widely. Harry smiles back. “Who is it?” Gemma asks ordering Richard to go get a piece of paper so she can add this person to the guest list. Richard leaves and Harry runs a hand through his hair.

“His name is Niall Horan and we kind of work together.”

“Ooh how long has this been going on?” Gemma stares at him with wide eyes.

“Six months.” It’s not technically a lie; they’ve known each other for six months they’ve just not done anything very couply.

“Oh god, Haz I am so happy for you!” She beams and Richard comes back. “Gimme his name again.” Gemma says, he tells her, and she nods and scribbles his name onto the paper. She looks back up at him and then to her fiancé. “Richie, Harry has a boyfriend aren’t you happy for him?” Ever since Gemma and Richard got together her main goal was to make Richie and Harry the bestest of friends. It’s not like Harry dislikes Richie or anything they just don’t have anything in common, Richie is all muscly and he’s all into sports and he likes doing things like going fishing and watching football on the telly and he’s just the stereotypical jock while Harry’s kind of a nerd. They haven’t really bonded but Harry knows Richie loves his sister.

“Ecstatic.” Richard finally says in the most monotone Harry has ever seen.

“Well uhm I’ll talk to you later Gemma.”

“No! Tell me about your boyfriend, how does he look like? Does he like seafood?”

“Uhm he has bleached blonde hair and really blue eyes and he has rosy cheeks and he blushes but I blush more than him and he’s Irish and when he talks fast his accent is really strong. I don’t really know if he likes seafood… I’ll ask him though.” Harry says and Gemma is grinning so wide.

“You’re so smitten, I am so excited to tell mum! Does she know?” Harry almost groans out loud. He’s forgotten about his parents, his mum and his dad and his stepfather who take delight in telling Harry’s boyfriends all the embarrassing things Harry has done and said throughout the years. Harry had thought Liam was the one because he had taken all of Harry’s embarrassing stories with a polite smile but he was wrong… Harry fucking hates Liam Payne and then he shakes his head, he will not be bitter about this. Gemma mistakes his head shake as him saying no he hasn’t told his mum which isn’t really a mistake because it’s not like he talks to his mum about all his fake relationships only the special ones.

“Oohhh can I tell her? Can I tell her Harry please she’ll be so excited to meet him oh my goodness!”

“Better you than me.” Harry mutters thinking of his mum’s reaction. She’ll probably cry and then make a speech about wanting grandkids soon. Harry isn’t ready for any of that whatsoever. He and Gemma talk some more while Gemma continually asks Richard for his opinion on some things and Harry can’t help but to smile softly at his big sister, she’s always been his best friend and the one person he could come to with certain things and it’s like she deserves all of this all of this happiness. Harry hopes that one day he finds that… one day he finds someone who wants that with him.

\--

Harry and Niall end up leaving the day before the wedding, Harry had booked the hotel and Niall had refused to let him pay the whole thing so they both had went online together and paid for it. Harry remembers Niall sitting in his apartment both of them spread out on Harry’s couch with Harry’s laptop in front of them and Niall laughing next to him the wine they had been drinking buzzing through them. Harry had half expected Niall to kiss him because Harry had wanted to kiss him so bad, wanted to just reach over and press a soft cotton candy kiss on Niall’s lips. And then they’d be real life boyfriends but that didn’t happen but Niall hugged him and he took a taxi home and Harry had gone to bed with a smile on his face.

They’re both awaiting the train with their duffels on their shoulders and Niall is offering Harry a bite of his Twix because Harry is nervous out of his freakin’ mind and it’s so obvious.

“You should stop shaking it’s making me wanna shake too.” Niall says bouncing on the soles of his feet a little trying to draw away the weird looks people are giving Harry.

“I’m just really nervous.” Harry mutters and Niall raises an eyebrow.

“Why?” 

“I don’t know.” But he does know. He doesn’t wanna see Liam and he wants to be real life boyfriends with Niall. He feels like he might have an anxiety attack any time Niall is next to him.

“Well look,” Niall starts and in ultimate shock to Harry Niall takes Harry’s hand and twines their fingers together. Harry looks down and he swallows, this is some real life boyfriend stuff he thinks. “I’m always here okay like you don’t have to be nervous alright? And if somebody makes you nervous in like a bad way you tell me cause like before I did football I used to be a male cheerleader and I’ll just cheerleader kick them for you okay? Like right in the fucking nose, they won’t see it coming. It’ll make a bad impression on your family though I’m warning you.” Niall says grinning and Harry can’t help the small giggles leaving his mouth. He isn’t shaking from nerves anymore he’s shaking from laughter and that’s… that’s okay, that’s good.

When the train comes around Niall is still holding his hand and Harry’s stomach hasn’t stopped fluttering around and he doesn’t even bother thinking of Liam.

Twenty minutes into the train ride Niall conks out and his head ends up on Harry’s shoulder and Harry can’t help the smile on his face. They’re still holding hands and Niall smells something a bit like home and love. He tries not to think about what that means he would rather just watch Niall sleep (okay so that sounds creepy too so he only sneaks a glance at Niall every now and again as he stares out the window).

\--

The thing is everybody that’s coming to the wedding is staying at the hotel. So of course the first person Harry runs into as he’s entering is his dad talking to the doorman about something. He does a double take when he sees Harry and a sleep rumpled Niall holding hands, Harry bets that his mum didn’t tell his dad.

“Harry!” His dad, Des, yells and Harry smiles and waves to him. He stops and lets his dad walk over and envelop him in a big hug. Harry hugs back and he’s actually pretty shocked at the force that he hugs his dad back with, he’s missed the guy. Like he didn’t see his dad much back when he was a kid and Des and his mum, Anne were going through a divorce but his dad never mistreated him and he always made it his mission to make it to Harry’s old piano recitals and the poetry readings that he used to do in high school.

When his dad pulls away he looks at Niall who’s smiling at them, “Who’s this?” Des asks.

“This is Niall… my boyfriend.” Harry says slowly and his dad’s eyes widen.

“I didn’t know you had a boyfriend, string bean.” Harry’s mortified at the childhood nickname he wonders if his dad has called Gemma gummy bear yet.

“It’s like a recent thing. Uhm Niall this is dad, dad this is Niall.” Niall goes in for a handshake but Harry’s dad pulls him in for a hug. Harry blushes and brings a hand up to his flaming cheeks to try and calm them down.

“My boy you better treat my string bean over there right.” Harry shakes his head but Niall nods intently like a real life boyfriend would. “Well I’ll let you guys go get checked in of course, you bunch look tired.” Des says but he’s looking at Niall who just laughs and shrugs.

“Thanks dad. See ya later.” Harry says and then he tugs Niall inside. Some people are loitering around and Harry says hi to some of Gemma’s friends. He checks him and Niall in and before the lady gives them the key she looks apologetic.

“I know you had specified one room two beds but uh everything was kind of filled and there is only one bed… is that okay?” Harry looks over at Niall, who’s already nodding,

“Yeah, man its fine.” The woman smiles and hands them the key.

“Have a nice stay.”

“You too.” Harry says and the lady looks at him strangely. Niall laughs and shakes his head,

“You’re the best, string bean.” Harry shoves him softly and Niall chuckles lowly.

\--

Harry’s awakened by someone knocking loudly on his hotel room door. Niall groans into the pillow next to Harry and Harry feels chills run up his arms because Niall’s arm is carelessly thrown across his waist and Harry wants to savor the closeness and Niall’s breath on his shoulder blades.

“Can you get that?” Niall grumbles when the knocking doesn’t cease. Harry nods and reluctantly slides out from under Niall’s arm and stumbles awkwardly to the door. His mother, his step father, and his older cousin Larissa all scream in his face. Harry blinks and rubs at his hip mind not catching up to what’s going on as his mum barrels straight into his arms.

“Oh my baby! You look so big, you’ve grown so much!” She squeals with her arms wrapped around his waist. She smells like flowers and lotion and perfume and Harry wraps an arm around her, she’s so much shorter than him it feels like he hasn’t seen her in forever. Robin joins in and so does Larissa and then she says,

“Where’s your boyfriend?”

“Dead to the world on this bed.” Niall says his voice muffled in the pillow but they all hear him. Harry’s mum claps excitedly and Harry watches as Niall rolls off the bed and runs a hand through his hair trying to make himself appear presentable and Harry wants to remind him that they aren’t actually dating, that he really doesn’t have to try so hard but Harry actually appreciates it.

“Hi Mrs. Cox.” Niall says embracing Harry’s mum and Harry flushes because Niall remembered him explaining that his mum was no longer Mrs. Styles, he doesn’t know why it’s such a big deal but like sometimes he thinks Niall zones him out but maybe he doesn’t. Harry feels a bit giddy and light headed like he’s twelve years old and drank too much fizzy drinks.

“Oh my goodness, no call me Anne please. Niall is it?” Niall nods and smiles.

“Stop hogging him I wanna see!” Larissa says and Harry can’t help laughing at his family’s antics. Larissa moves in front of Anne and she puts her hands on Niall’s skinny shoulders, Niall smiles down at her because Larissa is kind of short and she grins. “He’s so pretty… why are you with Harry?” She asks.

“Larissa, stop.” Robin says and Niall shakes his head.

“He’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.” Niall says looking over at Harry smiling at him all soft and private like they have their own language, like they’re a real life couple and Harry can’t help feeling like they are ya know like his mind is fooling him into thinking that Niall’s his actual boyfriend and Harry can just kiss him however and whenever he wants and all that stuff.

Anyways Niall meets his step dad and his mum continues to gush over Niall more talking about how she’s so happy that Harry has found someone who makes him so happy his mum keeps telling him that he’s glowing and he ignores the way Larissa looks at him and Niall in their boxers and wiggles her eyebrows at him.

\--

Harry knows that he’s bound to see Liam; he knows it’s going to happen and he’s glad that it happens when he and Niall are together in the little mini bar that the hotel has to offer. Niall’s watching an old football game and cheering on the team and yelling at the TV even when he knows his team is gonna win and Harry is so completely enamored with him. Harry doesn’t get sports and he doesn’t get what’s so appealing about it (he only likes watching hot guys in shorts kick balls around thank you very much) but seeing Niall all passionate and angry about it makes him all fuzzy inside.

But yeah Niall’s screaming at the telly when Liam walks in a pretty and tall brunette on his arm. His friend Andy is third wheeling (he never third wheeled when Harry dated Liam because Andy hated Harry) and Harry can’t help the whimper that escapes his throat. Liam doesn’t hear him but Niall does and turns to look at Harry then he follows Harry’s eye trail and sees Liam now looking at them with a raised eyebrow. His date or girlfriend or whomever says something to Liam and Andy sneers, Harry wants to leave but Niall just takes his hand and Harry’s heart skips several beats as Niall leans in and says.

“Stay calm, love.”

Liam, his girlfriend, and Andy all make their way over to where Harry and Niall are sitting. They’re the only people there save for an old couple in a booth all by themselves and Harry focuses his eyes on the TV even though he has no type of clue as to what’s going on.

“Hey, Harry.” Liam says and Harry peels his eyes away from the TV, Niall squeezes his hand and Harry thanks his lucky stars because how did he get someone like Niall to even… do this for him, be around him like this. Liam’s hair is cut now and he has several more tattoos but he still looks like Liam and Harry can still remember their break up fresh in his mind like a wound that wasn’t patched up correctly. But… but it doesn’t hurt like the wound is supposed to, it’s acknowledged but it’s not like he can’t look at Liam. And the yearning the want he used to have for his ex isn’t there anymore even though Harry knows that he still loves Liam that somewhere in the back of his mind he thinks Liam put all the stars in the sky. But it doesn’t hurt.

“Hi, Liam. How’re you?” Harry asks and Liam gives him a smile.

“I’m fine. Who’s your friend?” He asks looking at Niall and Harry smiles himself.

“My boyfriend… Niall.”

“Oh? Well this is my girlfriend, Sophia and of course you know Andy.”

“Of course.” Harry sneers not even bothering to give Andy a side glance.

“You’re here for the wedding yeah?” Liam asks and Harry wants to roll his eyes because why else would he be here? To watch great football on the bar’s nice flat screen as fucking if.

“Yup, you?”

“Yup… well it was nice seeing you two. You look good, Harry.” Liam says and Harry nods wondering if Liam means it.

“You too, Liam.” He says and Liam smiles. He leads Sophia away softly and Harry watches them slip into a booth away from Harry and Niall. Harry hopes them the best he really does.

“Well you handled that like a fucking champ.” Niall says grinning and Harry huffs out a laugh and Niall wraps an arm around Harry’s neck and pulls him in so that Harry’s face ends up buried in Niall’s neck. He doesn’t mind just breathes in until Niall screams at the TV again and Harry giggles and pulls away, he feels like a preteen girl.

\--

When Harry gets to the chapel where the wedding is being held hand and hand with Niall his mum traipses over to him, she looks absolutely panicked.

“Mum, what’s wrong?” He says and she looks like she wants to run a hand through her hair but she doesn’t. Harry and Niall exchange a confused look, Harry really hopes that neither Gemma nor Richie skipped out because there are going to be issues.

“Gemma refuses to get into her wedding dress and she’s just… she has really bad cold feet and she’s asking for you.” His mum says and Harry’s eyebrows crash together,

“For me? Why?”

“She wants to see her baby brother before she’s a married woman, Harry! There is no time for questions.” So Harry ends up being manhandled by his own mother with Niall’s hand still linked in his. They’re taken all the way to the back of the church where a dressing room is set up. He sees a ton of girls in pretty pink dresses standing around a door and murmuring something to the person who Harry presumes to be Gemma behind the door.

“Girls step aside Harry is here.” Anne says.

“Harry’s here!” He hears Gemma call from inside of the room. The girls disperse all of them looking distressed at the fact the bride refuses to come out of the bathroom. Harry not knowing what to do stumbles to the door and presses his ear to it, he hears sniffles that sound like Gemma is crying. He really hopes she isn’t because as a kid he always hated seeing her cry.

“Gems, hi.” Harry says not knowing what else to say. He’s not good at comfort he’s good at silently listening to people talk but actually comforting people with hugs and all that good stuff he’s lost.

“Harry, how are you my love? Is your boyfriend here? Are you happy? Are the decorations nice?” Gemma bombards him with questions and Harry chuckles imagining his older sister sitting cross legged on the floor in her bath robe with eyes puffy and nose pink. He’s always looked up to Gemma, thought that she was perfect and the epitome of a Disney princess but it’s moments like this that he remembers that she’s human too that she has the same emotions as him that she gets scared. 

“I’m fine, he’s here, I’m ecstatic, and the decorations are beautiful Gemma, everything looks amazing. Why are you in there and not out here in your beautiful wedding dress?” Harry asks her. She’s silent for a bit and then she sighs.

“I had a dream that he leaves me at the altar, that’s supposed to mean something right?” Gemma asks and Harry shakes his head even if she can’t see him.

“It means you’re human and you have nightmares just like any other human. Gemma, you’re getting married that’s like one of the biggest steps a human can take in their life. And I may not know a lot of things but one thing I do know for sure is that Richie is absolutely gone for you like to the moon and back gone like something out of a Nicholas Sparks movie gone.” Harry says with a smile and she sighs.

“I really do love him more than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life. How about if he hurts me… how about if he doesn’t love me like I love him?” She asks sounding small, sounding younger than Harry and Harry runs a hand through his hair because how can Gemma beautiful smart Gemma even think something like that?

“Listen to me, gummy bear Richard loves you and it’s sickening watching you two sometime but he does I know he does. How are you going to feel to just leave him hanging waiting for you like that, Gems? C’mon you can’t bail like that…you can’t bail on the ones you love, Gemma.” There is silence on her end for a bit and then Harry can hear shuffling and then the door is unlocking. The girls, Niall, and Harry’s mum cheer as Harry hugs his sister who even with runny makeup and puffy eyes still looks stunning.

“You’re my favorite person, string bean.” She says and Harry laughs blushing.

“And you’re mine, gummy bear.”

\--

“That was a really nice thing you did for your sister.” Niall whispers softly into Harry’s ear as they search the reception area for a place to sit. The wedding went smoothly after Harry’s whole spiel Harry’s mum whisked Gemma away and she was taken back to makeup and her hair was fluffed up again. And then she was shoved into her huge white dress and everybody marveled over her while Harry and Niall hung back. This time it was Niall smiling at him all sweet like Harry did something out of a superhero movie when all Harry really did was help his sister out. It wasn’t really that big of a deal.

Richie and Gemma told their vows, both of them cried and Harry had snapped a picture on his phone of Richie crying for blackmail. And then everybody got in their cars and prepared to meet the new bride and groom at the reception site.

“Well she is my sister… she would’ve done the same for me.” Harry says. He finds a table with his and Niall’s name side by side; they’re seated right next to the wife and husband whose seats are still empty.

“It was still very sweet.” Niall says and when Harry looks at him Niall turns away with a blush. Harry looks the other way with a blush too wondering why Niall is looking at him like that. Niall and Harry watch as everyone takes their seats and Harry spots Liam, Sophia, and Andy at their own table chatting with each other and when he catches Liam’s eye Liam waves and he waves back. And then he looks back at Niall who looks like he’s itching to eat the food.

“The chocolate fountain looks beautiful.” Niall whispers in his ear and Harry looks over and realizes that the chocolate fountain truly does look beautiful but not as beautiful as the blonde sitting next to him. Harry doesn’t say it though.

Gemma and Richie come out after a couple minutes of waiting in which everybody applauds them and Gemma waves and wipes away happy tears. Harry grins at them both and when Richie catches his eyes he gives him a thumbs up and Richie actually smiles at Harry, like a real smile with teeth and not just a grimace for poor Gemma’s sake.

Gemma and Richie sit down and Harry’s dad is the first to stand up prepared to make a toast. He talks about some embarrassing things Gemma did when she was younger and Gemma blushes of course and then he starts going into how he hated Richie in the beginning but then he warmed up to him and all that dad stuff that makes people aw and cry. Anne goes second and she talks about being proud of her daughter and knowing that she was going to be happy in all that she did no matter what, it was all types of motherly sweet and Gemma cries of course. Robin goes and then Gemma’s best friend and then Richie’s parents and his best friend and his brother and then Niall whispers to him,

“You should make a toast.” Harry shoots him a look.

“No way.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t do well with people.”

“You did quite well with Liam and Gemma, what’s a couple more?”

“Niall.” Harry whines and Niall shrugs.

“Okay okay I’m not going to force you. I just thought it’d be cute.” Niall shrugs. Harry watches as Richie’s brother winds down his speech and everyone is still gushing over it when Harry stands up feeling all the blood rush to his face and he looks down at Niall who’s smiling up at him and Harry does believe with all his might that Niall has stars in his eyes. If Niall was poetry he would have the prettiest words.

“Hi uhm everybody.” Harry says and Gemma says,

“Hi, Harry!” Harry flushes but then he clears his throat. His hands are shaking and it’s like Niall can sense that because he takes one of Harry’s hands and Harry can practically hear Gemma and his mother cooing at them.

“Well uh I didn’t want this to be terribly long and I didn’t really prepare a speech. All I wanted to say was that in all my twenty three years of life I have never seen two people so in love than what I’ve seen with Gemma and Richard. I’ve known Richard for five years and in all those five years Gemma’s never said anything bad about being with him, she only talks about how wonderful he is and if someone can make my older sister smile like that then you’re good in my book. I know me and Richard aren’t best buds but I know he’s good guy Gemma wouldn’t be with him if he wasn’t. To the new bride and groom, I wish you the absolute best in all you do.” People clap and Harry collapses in his seat quickly his face flushing and Niall leans over and he kisses him on the cheek, more clapping and Richie whistles and he feels good.

\--

“Can I borrow him for a second?” Gemma asks approaching Niall and Harry who are both loitering by the chocolate fountain and watching people dance. Harry wanted to ask Niall if he wanted to dance but he had chickened out so now they’re doing this. Gemma already has her hand around Niall’s wrist and Harry raises an eyebrow but nod anyway wondering why Gemma needs his fake boyfriend for, he hopes she doesn’t give Niall a speech.

“Knock yourself out.” Harry says and Gemma grins like a shark.

“Great.” Sometimes Harry forgets that she can be a little evil. Harry watches as they begin to dance slowly and Gemma’s grinning at Niall before her lips start moving. Harry watches them, she leans forward and she whispers something to him and Niall’s eyes widen. Harry knows she’s threatening him with death. She says some more things and he looks like he’s just answering questions, Harry’s never seen Niall look anxious but that’s the effect Gemma has on people. When the song ends Gemma steps back and lets him go and Niall walks back to Harry and Harry chuckles nervously.

“What’d she say to you?” Harry asks and Niall just shakes his head.

“Nothing. We should dance.”

“Together?” Harry asks perking up immediately at the thought of Niall with his hands around him. Harry thinks about how they’ll be on the next train to London by tomorrow and how it’ll be like this never happened, how it’ll be like a friend was just helping out a friend nothing special.

“No,” Niall says and Harry deflates, “alone.” And then Niall rolls his eyes and grabs Harry’s hand. “Of course together, you doofus.” It’s not really a slow song at first it’s something a little upbeat and peppy so Harry kind of bounces in place and laughs out loud as Niall dances obnoxiously around him but it’s not the kind of obnoxious that has Harry rolling his eyes it’s a cute obnoxious. Well, Niall makes everything cute.

Niall dances some more until it goes from Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (Ella Enchanted version because Gemma is still a twelve year old girl at heart) to Sunburn by Ed Sheeran. Gemma and Richie start dancing first of course and Richie says something that makes Gemma dissolve into smiles and tears and Harry’s heart melts. Harry’s mum and his stepdad shuffle onto the dance floor second and then Larissa and her date and Harry finds Niall tugging him to dance and Harry blushes as Niall rests a hand on his waist.

“Hey.” Niall whispers to him and Harry bites his lip.

“Hi.” He says and when the: _I’d miss you and I miss you_ comes Harry finds himself resting his head on Niall’s shoulder as they sway softly. Harry feels his heart breaking at the thought of this being forever at the thought of being so high and so drunk in… in whatever this is because it’s not just a simple crush, not something that ten year olds have on other ten year olds it’s more than that but Harry doesn’t want to call it love not yet not when he’s not even sure if Niall even feels like that towards him.

Niall starts singing along in his ear and Harry closes his eyes and tries to think of good things like how nice Niall smells and how warm he feels and how even if this ends right now Harry will still get to see him, Harry will still have that experience with him.

“Harry.” Niall whispers in his ear when Ed starts singing the last part of the song,

“Yeah?” Harry asks.

“I really like you.” Niall says and Harry closes his eyes thinks about how Niall’s just going to say: “and it’s been fun but I can’t wait to go back home.”

“Oh yeah?” Harry asks and Niall says,

“Yeah. I want this.” Harry’s heart stutters and he doesn’t dare look up at Niall,

“What?”

“I want this with you, Harry. I want to be your real boyfriend; I want to be able to hold your hand without you looking shocked. I want to wake up with a mouth full of curls every day, I want you and your loving family and your shaking hands and just you, man. All of you and your little quirks.” Niall whispers in his ear as the song changes to a Sade song that Harry knows Gemma loves you. _You baby were like the sky,_ the woman sings and Harry wonders if Gemma picked this playlist especially for his feelings.

“You like me?” Harry finally asks and Niall says,

“A lot. A whole fucking lot.” Harry sniffles.

“This stuff doesn’t happen to me… this stuff only happens in movies.” Niall chuckles into his ear and Harry closes his eyes wants to hear Niall forever.

“It’s happening, string bean.” Harry pulls his head away from Niall’s shoulder and looks at Niall’s incredibly blue eyes and the incredibly real emotions going through them. Harry huffs wetly and wipes his eyes, it seems like the Styles family has been doing a lot of crying today.

“You like me.” Harry says laughing a bit and Niall nods and he brings a hand up to tuck a stray curl behind Harry’s ear.

“I wanna kiss you. May I?”

“Please.” Harry says and Niall chuckles before he’s gripping Harry’s waist a little more and then they’re kissing like in front of everyone dancing and who’s just hanging back and watching. Niall’s mouth tastes like chocolate and Harry can’t help smiling into the kiss and then Niall does too and they aren’t kissing anymore just smiling at each other until Harry leans back down and rests his head on Niall’s shoulder.

He feels s like he’s twelve years old and drank too many fizzy drinks and his head is going to float all the way into the sky. It doesn’t though, Niall grounds him. 

**Author's Note:**

> personal blog: http://talklovelytome.tumblr.com/
> 
> writing blog: http://my-hummingbirdheart.tumblr.com/


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